168 



was found to give much more concordant results upon soils high in humus, 

 and upon those low in humus there was a slight improvement over the 

 Grandeau method. 



Sixth, The authors see no reason for assuming that the phosphoric- 

 acid extracted by the ammonia is in any way associated with the humus, 

 for Mr. Huston has already shown that the phosphoric acid is readily 

 dissolved by ammonia from phosphate of alumina and iron. It is gener- 

 ally considered that there are bases with which the available phosphoric 

 acid in the soil is combined. In the same way we may account for the 

 presence of potash and lime in solution by the ordinary laws which govern 

 the absorption of bases by zeolitic minerals in the soil. 



AVhile humates also take part in soil absorption, it is not necessary or 

 even altogether reasonable to consider all the bases removed by ammonia 

 were associated with the humus. In fact, the theory of the process is that 

 the bases associated with the humus had already been removed by means 

 of the hydrochloric acid used in the preliminary washing of the soil. 



The paper is in the nature of a preliminary report and the work is still 

 in progress. A complete report of the work will be published later. 



Tim: extraction of wi.an from straw in the manufacture of I'APER. 

 By W. E. Stone and W. EI. Test. 



Abstract.] 



The extraction of substances from straw which on inversion, yield a 

 pentose sugar, has been established. In the process of making straw 

 paper the straw is boiled with a strong solution of quick lime. This 

 liquor, when acidulated and treated with an excess of alcohol throws 

 down a precipitate of pentosans. It seemed, therefore, a good material 

 for the preparation of xylose. 



The liquor is yellowish brown in color and alkaline. Specific gravity. 

 1.215; alkaline equivalent, 2 to 2.5 per cent, calcium oxide. Total resi- 

 due on evaporation, 3.95 per cent., of which 30.77 per cent, was min- 

 eral and 60.23 per cent, organic in nature. Thirty-two liters of the 

 liquor yielded on precipitation with alcohol, 300 grams of xylan. This, 

 on distillation with hydrochloric acid, yielded 45.5 to 47.1 per cent, 

 furfurol. This could not be inverted by methods similar to those prac- 

 ticed by Wohi on inuline. The ordinary method of boiling with 2 per cent. 



